Li Jane rolls her way back to winning ways
NATIONAL kegler Sin Li Jane is happy to be back to winning ways.
On Tuesday, the 27-year-old became the first female bowler to win the Sarawak Open title in Kuching.
Following a disappointing outing at the World Bowling Women’s Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, last month, Li Jane is relieved to get atop the podium and regain her confidence.
In the last-man standing stepladder finals at the Sarawak Megalanes, the reigning European Bowling Tour (EBT) Masters champion defeated national back-up Radin Nur Najwa 232-214 to clinch the title.
National youth bowler Muhammad Shafiy Zaim was third, while national back-up Nora Lyana Nastasia Norkamal was fourth.
Li Jane had earlier qualified for the stepladder finals when she came in second out of 60 bowlers, with an eight-game total of 1,799 pinfalls.
Nora Lyana topped the mixed field on 1,826, while Radin (1,797) was third and Shafiy (1,765) fourth.
Only the top four bowlers made the cut for the finals.
“The Las Vegas world meet was not entirely bad ... we missed out by a small margin,” said Li Jane, who took home RM20,000.
“It was definitely a setback, but I knew we had to bounce back somehow.
“So, winning the Sarawak Open has definitely boosted my confidence.
“This is also not the first time that I’ve beaten the men in a mixed field.”
Li Jane, a former Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour winner, now hopes to be included in the squad for the Asian Championships in Kuwait next month as well as the Philippines Sea Games in December.
The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) have not finalised the squad for both tournaments as they are still awaiting news on the lane patterns.